Law & Society (Period 5) Assignments

 

You will have many choices for your Project(s) and may choose to do one larger project or two smaller ones.

 

Some projects must be done individually, while others may be done in groups.

 

Group projects must be given advance approval.

 

* Written projects will be due on Monday, December 12.

 

* Presentations will take place during the week before final exams: December 5 – 9.

 

You may choose from the following:

 

* Write a standard research paper on a legal issue of your choice (3-4 pages)

 

* Prepare a guide to understanding some aspects of the law – either in written form (brochure style) or in the form of a website

 

* Do a presentation on a legal issue of your choice – with visual aids, PowerPoint, etc.

 

* Write a fictional story which features a legal issue or issues

 

* Write a script for a TV show concerning the law

 

* Prepare a video concerning the law: Documentary style or drama or comedy or music or some combination

 

This will be 15% of your grade. If you choose to do 2 smaller projects, each will count as 7.5% of your grade.

 

 

 

 

 

Submit some ideas for your potential project(s).

 

 

You are not committing to any ideas today. Just get the brain going.

 

 

 

 

Go to the following:

• According to this site, what is defined to be “violent crime”?

• Go to the right, look under “Find Your Neighborhood”

• Go to “Select a Neighborhood” pull-down menu . . . find where you live . . . GO

• When your area comes up . . . click the Crime tab at the top

• How many violent crimes occurred in the last 6 months?

• How many crimes per 10,000 people in the last 6 months?

• Where does this rank out of 209 areas?

 

TASK TWO

 

Assume you have been arrested and accused of a crime near your home and
your trial will be held near your home. 

Go to:

• In which court would you probably have your trial?

 

 

Find an attorney in the Los Angeles area who defends accused criminals.

• Name?

• Location?

• Years of experience?

• Any Specialization?

• Educational background?

• List website of the attorney.

Search for Andrew Gallo

• What crime was he convicted of?

• What was his sentence?

 

 

Search and find information on a real criminal who was convicted of one of the crimes you defined in Assignment #11 (on Monday).

• Who is the criminal?

• What did he or she do? 

• List the website where you found the information.

 

 

TASK 1

Go to the following website:

Pick 2 dumb California laws.

For each, briefly explain why this law might have made sense when it was written.

 

 

TASK 2

Find three celebrities having some issue with the law.

List each, with the particular problem they are having.

List the website(s) where you found the information.

TASK 3

Find an example of a famous criminal. (You cannot use OJ.)

Who is the criminal?

What did he or she do?

List the website where you found the information.

TASK 4

Open the document “WHEN YOU TURN 18” posted below.

Answer the following based on the information in the brochure.

• How does the law treat you differently once you turn 18?

• If you are caught drinking alcohol, can your driver’s license be taken away, even if you are not driving at the time?

• When can the police break up a party?

• What is the possible penalty for felony drug possession?

• Concerning drugs, what is “possession with intent to sell”?

• How could drugs affect student grants and loans?

• Is it possible to get into legal trouble simply for being present when drugs are being used? If yes, what must you be doing?

• Briefly explain the California laws concerning “statutory rape”.

• Can you be tried as an adult before you turn 18? Explain.

• Briefly explain the “3 Strikes Law”.